# computer question (volume control and toolbar)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-volume-control-and-toolbar/214572>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 21, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-volume-control-and-toolbar/214572 "2003-11-21T21:08:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![voxnihili](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@voxnihili](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voxnihili)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-volume-control-and-toolbar/214572/1 "2003-11-21T21:08:34Z")

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how can i make the volume control appear in the system tray in windows xp home?

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**Author:** ![glilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@glilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glilly)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-volume-control-and-toolbar/214572/2 "2003-11-21T21:41:30Z")

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Just in case you’re new to XP, many of the icons in the sys tray get covered to make more room for applications on the bar. To see the hidden ones, push the \< icon on the left side of the tray, and the \> to hide them again.

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**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-volume-control-and-toolbar/214572/3 "2003-11-21T21:57:01Z")

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To make the icon appear there all the time, you can right-click by the time display, choose Properties, then hit the Customize button. Then, you can choose to make any of those icons appear all the time, never, or only when they’re active.

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**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question-volume-control-and-toolbar/214572/4 "2003-11-21T23:39:57Z")

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Start menu -\> control panel -\> Sound Speech and Audio Devices -\> adjust system volume, and make sure that the “place volume icon on the task bar” box is checked.

Additionally, make sure the icon isn’t hidden like the above posts said.